As we proceed to the New Testament, we see that the Lord Jesus came through incarnation. His incarnation was the erecting of a tabernacle (John 1:14). This tabernacle, which was erected that God might dwell among men, was a precursor of the temple. When you see a little boy, you know that a full-grown man is coming. Likewise, when you see the tabernacle, you realize that the temple is coming. As the tabernacle, Jesus was the indicator that God's temple was soon to appear. This is why the Lord changed the name of Simon, the representative of the first group of disciples, to Cephas, which means a stone (John 1:42). In Matthew 16:18, after Peter had answered the Lord's question, "Who do you say that I am?" by saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," the Lord Jesus responded, "You are a stone" (Gk.). The Lord seemed to be saying, "I am Christ, the rock, and you are a stone to be built upon Me for the building up of My church." In his first Epistle, Peter later said, "You yourselves also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house" (1 Pet. 2:5). Consider also the case of the Apostle Paul. Formerly, he was an opposer of God's building, doing everything possible to persecute, damage, and lay it waste. But as he was on his way to Damascus to persecute the church, he was caught by the Lord and became not only the material for the building, but also a wise masterbuilder (1 Cor. 3:10).
In Galatians 2:9 Paul said that James, Cephas, and John were reputed to be pillars. At that time, they were respected by the saints as pillars. The pillars in 1 Kings 7:21 refer to the building of the temple of God in the Old Testament, but the pillars in Galatians 2:9 refer to the building of God's house in the New Testament. Many Christians realize that Peter and John were disciples and apostles, but not many realize that they were also pillars. They were not only disciples discipled by the Lord and apostles who discipled, taught, and edified others; they were also pillars, signboards of God's building in the New Testament. If you came to Peter, John, and James, they would not declare doctrine or religion to you. Instead, just as the pillars in front of the temple did not declare religion, teachings, or commandments, but the temple, so they would declare the house of God. When anyone saw the two pillars in front of the temple, they immediately realized that the temple was there. Likewise, when we see Peter, James, and John, we realize that the building of God's house is there. Many Christians view things through colored glasses. When you speak to them of Peter, they simply think of him as an apostle. Do you have the concept that Peter is a pillar? For years, whenever I thought of Peter and John, I considered them as apostles, not as strong pillars. Recently, however, the Lord has revolutionized my concept. Now whenever I think of Peter, James, and John, I think of three large columns standing before me. When we see these columns, we do not think of religion or doctrine; we think of the house of God. These pillars stand in the universe to declare Bethel, God's temple.
Do not think that in this matter of the pillars I am allegorizing the Bible. The letters G-o-d spell "God," and the letters d-o-g spell "dog." This is not allegorization; it is reading. God, who is the best typesetter, has printed some very clear words for our understanding. Firstly, in Genesis 19:26 He typeset a negative pillar, the pillar of salt. By mentioning this negative pillar, God is asking us whether we want to become a pillar of salt. In chapter twenty-eight, we have the pillar of stone, and in 1 Kings 7 we have the two pillars in front of the temple. In Galatians 2:9 pillars are mentioned again, this time with respect to the temple of God in the New Testament. In Revelation 3:12, the Lord again speaks of the pillar, saying, "He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God." The pillar in this verse does not refer to the temple in either the Old Testament or the New Testament, but to the New Jerusalem in the coming kingdom and in eternity. The temple of God is in three stages, three dispensations: the Old Testament stage, the New Testament stage, and the stage in the kingdom and in eternity. First Kings 7 covers the Old Testament stage, Galatians 2:9 covers the New Testament stage, and Revelation 3:12 covers God's building in the kingdom age and in eternity. This is God's way of typesetting. We put G-o-d together and we read the word "God." Likewise, as we put 1 Kings 7:21, Galatians 2:9, and Revelation 3:12 together, we can say, "Now I understand why, in interpreting his vision of God's house, Bethel, Jacob set up a pillar. The pillar is an indicator, a signboard, a designation, of the house of God."
In 1 Kings 7:21 there were just two pillars, and in Galatians 3:9 there were only three pillars. How many pillars will there be in the coming age? The number will not be written by the Lord, but by you and me. No one knows how many pillars there will be. We can only say, "Whosoever will may be." Whosoever will may be a pillar in the temple of God. The door is wide open. Unlike certain outstanding universities who only accept a limited number of their applicants, there is no limitation to the number who desire to be and may become pillars in the temple of God in the coming age. The number, whether it be a thousand or a million, is open. If the number were limited to two, none of us would have an opportunity. It would be hopeless for us to be pillars. But the number is not limited—it is, "Whosoever will may be." Are you willing to be made a pillar? I am. What mercy the Lord has upon us!
Consider the size of the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle. It was a cube of ten cubits in each dimension (Exo. 26:8,16). The Holy of Holies in the temple was somewhat larger, being a cube of twenty cubits in each dimension (1 Kings 6:20). But consider how large the Holy of Holies in the coming New Jerusalem will be. The entire city, which is twelve thousand stadia in length, breadth, and height, (approximately 1,363 miles, about the distance from Los Angeles to Dallas) will be an enlarged Holy of Holies (Rev. 21:16). For the small Holy of Holies, two pillars were sufficient. But how many pillars will be needed for the enlarged Holy of Holies? The answer is, "Whosoever will may be." There is a place for you. If you would not occupy this place, there would be a vacancy in eternity.
I have been reading and studying the Bible for more than fifty years. The Bible is too profound, and no one can understand it to the uttermost. I believe that what I am ministering to you in this message has been mined from the depths of this book. In the Old Testament, two pillars indicated the temple of God, and in the New Testament, three pillars declared God's building. But the pillars in the coming kingdom and in the New Jerusalem in eternity will be numberless. Today, whosoever will may be one of these pillars.